与韩荆州书
白闻天下谈士相聚而言日：“生不用封万户侯，但愿一识韩荆州!”何令人之景慕，一至于此耶!岂不以有周公之风，躬吐握之事，使海内豪俊，奔走而归之。一登龙门，则声价十倍。所以龙蟠凤逸之士，皆欲收名定价于君侯。愿君侯不以富贵而骄之，寒贱而忽之；则三千宾中有毛遂。使白得颖脱而出，即其人焉。
白，陇西布衣，流落楚汉；十五好剑术，遍干诸侯；三十成文章，历抵卿相。虽长不满七尺，而心雄万夫。王公大臣，许与气义。此畴曩心迹，安敢不尽于君侯哉!
君侯制作侔神明，德行动天地，笔参造化，学究天人。幸愿开张心颜，不以长揖见拒。必若接之以高宴，纵之以清谈，请日试万言，倚马可待。今天下以君侯为文章之司命，人物之权衡，一经品题，便作佳士。而君侯何惜阶前盈尺之地，不使白扬眉吐气，激昂青云耶！
昔王子师为豫州，未下车即辟荀慈明，既下车又辟孔文举。山涛作冀州，甄拔三十余人，或为侍中、尚书，先代所美。而君侯亦一荐严协律，入为秘书郎；中间崔宗之、房习祖、黎昕、许莹之徒，或以才名见知，或以清白见赏。白每观其衔恩抚躬，忠义奋发。白以此感激，知君侯推赤心于诸贤腹中，所以不归他人，而愿委身国士。倘急难有用，敢效微躯!
人非尧舜，谁能尽善?白谟猷筹画，口能自矜?至于制作，积成卷轴，口欲尘秽视听，恐雕虫小技，不合大人。口赐观刍荛，请给纸墨，兼之书人，然后退扫闲轩，缮写呈上。庶青萍、结绿，长价于薛、卞之门。幸推下流，大开奖饰，惟君侯图之!
译文：
A letter to Han Jingzhou
I have heard that when scholars who like todiscuss matters of national importance get together, their conversationinvariably leads to you. They say, “I would rather see Han Jingzhou in personthan become a nobleman with a fief of ten thousand household.”Why is it thatthey cherish such a deep admiration for you? Are you treating men of virtue andtalent like Duke of Zhou so that they will come from all over the country toseek your patronage, hoping that once they are recommended by you, they will belike the carp leaping over the Dragon’s Gate and their social status will beboosted tenfold? Therefore, those promising scholars, who have not yet enteredthe government service, expect to gain fame and a favorable appraisal of theirtalent through you. They are like curled up dragons and inert phoenixes,waiting for their chance to soar up.
Your wealth and power do not make you proud, nor do poverty and low station incite your prejudice. It is only natural that among your followers there is no lack of such man like Mao Sui. If the chance arises to have my talent recognized ,I would burst into the open, the way a sharp awl pierces through the chin cloth sack. I would be another Mao Sui.
I, Li Bai, am of common origin from Longxi, and have roamed in theChu-Han region. I loved sword playing at the age of fifteen and paid respect toall local government officials. By the age of thirty I could write good essaysand had paid homage to all influential high-ranking officials at court. ThoughI am less than seven chi in stature, I cherish an ambition loftier than that often thousand people. Princes and ministers have praised my moral integrity andmy spirit. This has been the scope of what I thought and what I did. How couldI not let you know.
Your achievements are godlike; your meritorious deeds have moved heavenand earth; your essays expound the law of nature, and your knowledge is allembracing, including the ways of heaven and earth. It is my hope to receiveyour genial and sincere reception, not to be refused because of my simplecourtesy by making a bow with hands clasped. I have no doubt that you willwelcome me generously with a banquet, at which you will allow my thoughts tocascade from my brimming mind. And if you don’t mind, I will write an essay ofthe thousand words a day and finish it as quickly as Yuan Hu did. The worldlooks upon you as an authoritative evaluator of writings and a supreme judge ofpeople’s moral quality. Anyone who is favorably judged by you is regarded asexcellence both in character and scholarship. Therefore, why should you grudgethat little space less than a foot in width before the terrace of your house toreceive me and let me feel proud and elated, fully exert my abilities, and soarup in my career.
In the EasternHan Dynasty, when Wang Zishi was appointed as governor of Yuzhou, he employedXun Ciming before he arrived at the post. After he took office, he employedKong Wenju. When Shan Tao of the Western Jin Dynasty was the prefecturalgovernor of Jizhou, he chose more than thirty people and they were all assignedto different government positions, some to be shangshu. Both Wang Zishi andShan Tao were highly praised by praised by previous scholars. You haverecommended Yan Wu and he is promoted to be mishulang. And there are other peoplelike Cui Zongzhi, Fang Xizu, Li Xin, and Xu Ying, who are either discovered byyou because of their uncommon brilliance or praised by you for their honestyand integrity. I often see them in their gratitude to you for the support youhave given them in their official career. They fully display their loyalty andrighteousness. I am very much loved and know very well that you open your heart to persons of virtue.This is why I am anxious for your patronage above all others. I would dedicate myhumble life to you, if it might help you in case of emergency.
Since none of us is Yao and Shun, how can we be perfect? How could I brag that I could give counsels on affairs of the state? As for writings, I have many scrolls in store, each waiting its turn for your perusal. But perhaps, these trifles of mine are not to your taste. If you so grant me the favor, please have paper,brushes and a scribble ready, and I will go back to clean up my study and copy them down for you. In your hands their value would increase like the Qingping sword in the hands of Xuezhu and the rare jade in the hands of Bian He. In all sincerity I hope I might win your favor and obtain your recommendation. Please give me your kindest consideration.
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